Forest landscape restoration is a key part of sustainable forestry. It is a process of increasing tree cover across an area in order to improve food production and reduce erosion. Aside from providing shade and firewood, trees also help sequester carbon and protect downstream water sources. A healthy forest also provides abundant wildlife habitat. news
Many threats to forests result from the complex interaction between multiple stressors that require large-scale management. Many ecosystem managers now recognize the importance of considering the larger spatial context when making management decisions. The landscape concept has been proposed as an appropriate unit for this type of holistic management, but different definitions of landscape complicate the task. In addition, these definitions do not fully account for the complex interactions between ecological and social conditions within a landscape.
Forest landscape restoration is a collaborative effort by governments and communities worldwide to restore deforested landscapes. The goal is to restore the biodiversity and ecological integrity of deforested areas and enhance human well-being. This collaborative effort involves integrating stakeholder guidance and monitoring into restoration activities. In addition, the approach encourages the participation of local communities in restoration efforts.
Forest landscape plans must be developed in consultation with Indigenous peoples and must respect their rights to self-government and self-determination. The process may also involve a range of government-to-government decision-making processes. The key goal is to make forest management more equitable for all. It is important to maintain a sustainable forest landscape and to provide a safe place for wildlife to roam.
The restoration of forest landscapes is an important part of the overall strategy to combat climate change. It is important to understand the impact of FLR on the climate and ensure that it is a sustainable practice. However, many studies lack the standard rates that could be used to estimate the climate change impacts of FLR. For example, the Recovery and Protection of Climate and Biodiversity Services in the Southeast Atlantic Forest Corridor of Brazil project aims to restore carbon stocks from non-forest lands.
Unlike conventional approaches to forest restoration, FLR considers multiple land uses and aims to restore ecological integrity of degraded landscapes. Using multiple land tenure systems, FLR also integrates multiple societal, sectoral, and ecological priorities. It can be implemented in large-scale forests as well as on agricultural land.
Forest landscapes in high-latitude climates are predominantly composed of hardwoods. Hardwood species include pine, spruce, and larches. In temperate regions, forests are dominated by conifers. These species provide much-needed shelter for wildlife and are responsible for the stability of terrestrial carbon storage.
Intact forest landscapes store more carbon than degraded landscapes. However, the loss of forest land plays a critical role in carbon emissions. The area of degraded forest landscapes was 8.4% of the total area of IFL in 2000.